Process and apparatus for unloading a vulcanised bicycle tyre from a vulcanisation press

Abstract

A vulcanised bicycle tyre (2) is retained by exerting a thrust action on the radially inner surface of the tyre directed radially away from the geometric axis of rotation thereof (X). An unloading device (12) provided with at least one frame (18) and at least one support member (19) of the tyre (2) is positioned with respect to the tyre (2) by aligning it with the geometric axis of rotation (X) of the tyre. The support member (19) is handled with respect to the frame (18) towards an operating position in which it is close to the radially outer surface (2b) of the tyre (2). Finally, the radial thrust action on the radially inner surface (2a) of the tyre (2) is interrupted for releasing said tyre (2) with the radially outer surface (2b) thereof on a contact surface (20) of the support member (19).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for unloading a vulcanised bicycle tyre from a vulcanisation press, wherein the tyre comprises: a concave radially inner surface and a convex radially outer surface, both of which extend between a first radially inner edge and a second radially inner edge of the tyre and the tyre is arranged with a geometric axis of rotation thereof arranged transversely to a horizontal plane, wherein the first edge is placed at a lower height with respect to the second edge of the tyre,
 the process comprises: 
 retaining the tyre by exerting a thrust action on the radially inner surface of the tyre directed radially away from the geometric axis of rotation with a retaining device; 
 arranging an unloading device provided with at least one frame and at least one support member of the tyre, wherein the at least one support member is arranged around a loading axis and movable with respect to the frame; 
 positioning the unloading device with respect to the tyre to align the loading axis with the geometric axis of rotation of the tyre; 
 moving the support member with respect to the frame and towards an operating position in which the support member is next to the radially outer surface of the tyre; 
 interrupting the radial thrust action of the retaining device on the radially inner surface of the tyre for releasing the tyre with the radially outer surface thereof on a contact surface of the support member handled in the operating position. 
 
     
     
       2. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein upon reaching the operating position, the contact surface of the support member is located at least partially below an axially lower portion of the tyre extending radially away from the first radially inner edge of the tyre. 
     
     
       3. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the operating position, the contact surface of the support member is located in a lower position with respect to the first radially inner edge of the tyre. 
     
     
       4. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the operating position, the support member has a supporting portion facing upwards. 
     
     
       5. The process as claimed  claim 1 , wherein in the operating position, the contact surface of the support member at least partially circumscribes the axially lower portion of the tyre extending from the first radially inner edge of the tyre. 
     
     
       6. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the contact surface of the support member is concave. 
     
     
       7. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein upon reaching the operating position, the support member contacts the radially outer surface of the tyre. 
     
     
       8. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support member handled in the operating position involves translating the support member from a rest position towards the operating position along a handling path approaching to the radially outer surface of the tyre. 
     
     
       9. The process as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the handling path comprises at least one contraction stroke extending between a radially outer distal position with respect to the geometric axis of rotation of the tyre and a proximal position to the geometric axis of rotation. 
     
     
       10. The process as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein positioning the unloading device comprises arranging the unloading device itself with respect to the tyre in order to have the support member placed in the rest position. 
     
     
       11. The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the retaining device is configured for retaining the tyre at a predetermined operating height and the rest position of the support member is substantially placed at the operating height of the tyre, in a radially outer position thereto. 
     
     
       12. The process as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the handling path of the support member is configured for a contraction of the support member on the tyre from a radially expanded condition to a radially contracted condition. 
     
     
       13. The process as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the support member comprises a plurality of support sectors mutually and angularly spaced around the loading axis and movable in mutual distance and approach between the radially expanded condition and the radially contracted condition. 
     
     
       14. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the thrust action is carried out by the retaining device coaxial to the geometric axis of rotation of the tyre. 
     
     
       15. The process as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the thrust action involves radially expanding a radially expandable peripheral portion of the retaining device. 
     
     
       16. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising lifting the tyre from a vulcanisation height to an operating height, which is higher than the vulcanisation height. 
     
     
       17. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising axially extracting the retaining device from the tyre following the interruption of the thrust action. 
     
     
       18. The process as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the retaining device is configured for retaining the tyre at the operating height; the extraction involving lowering the retaining device from the operating height following the interruption of the thrust action. 
     
     
       19. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein positioning the unloading device comprises translating the unloading device along a centering path towards the geometric axis of rotation from a radially outer position with respect to the tyre. 
     
     
       20. The process as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising transferring the tyre released on the contact surface to an unloading station by displacing the unloading device from a loading position, corresponding to the operating position of the support member, to an unloading position. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus for unloading a vulcanised bicycle tyre from a vulcanisation press, comprising:
 a retaining device of the tyre with an operating axis thereof comprising a central body and a radially expandable peripheral portion, wherein the radially expandable peripheral portion comprises an active portion configured for exerting a thrust action directed radially away from the operating axis on a radially inner surface of the tyre for maintaining the tyre in a predetermined work region; 
 an unloading device having at least one frame and a support member of the tyre arranged around a loading axis, wherein the unloading device is selectively movable towards and away from the operating axis for aligning the loading axis with the operating axis, and the support member is selectively movable with respect to the frame approaching the work region until reaching an operating position located in a radially outer position to the active portion, 
 wherein the support member is provided with a contact surface which, in the operating position, has a supporting portion facing upwards and wherein, in the operating position, the supporting portion is placed at an axially lower position to the tyre. 
 
     
     
       22. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the contact surface has a containment portion shaped to define a radial retaining of the tyre. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the contact surface has a concave shape that, in the operating position, at least partially circumscribes an axially lower portion of the tyre engaged with the retaining device. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the radially expandable peripheral portion of the retaining device comprises at least one deformable membrane. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the deformable membrane is expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, wherein the expanded condition of the deformable membrane is substantially counter-shaped to the radially inner surface of the tyre. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the retaining device is defined at least partially by a central body of a vulcanisation press. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the retaining device comprises an annular chamber delimited in radially outer position by the deformable membrane and placed in fluid connection with a pressurised fluid source for controlling the expansion or contraction of the deformable membrane. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising a lifter connected to the retaining device and configured for vertically translating the retaining device from a vulcanisation height, in which the retaining device lies within a lower half-mould of the vulcanisation press, to an upper operating height in which the retaining device is raised with respect to the lower half-mould. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein in the operating position, the support member is placed in a region which is radially outer to the central body of the retaining device. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the unloading device comprises a handling group operatively interposed between the frame and the support member and configured for translating the support member towards the operating position. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the handling group is configured for handling the support member from a position which is distal from the operating axis of the retaining device to a position which is proximal to the operating axis. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the handling group is configured for driving the support member towards the operating position according to a handling path having at least one radial contraction stroke approaching the retaining device. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the support member comprises a plurality of support sectors mutually and angularly spaced apart around the loading axis. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the handling group is configured for contracting the unloading device from a radially expanded condition, in which the sectors are mutually moved apart, to a radially contracted condition, in which the sectors are mutually approached. 
     
     
       35. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising a translating group associated with the unloading device and configured for translating the unloading device transversely to the operating axis of the retaining device. 
     
     
       36. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the translating group is configured for handling the unloading device between a position which is radially distal from the operating axis and a position which is radially centered with the operating axis. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 36 , further comprising a picking device of one or more tyres arranged at the radially distal position.